Despite the fact that NSW Attorney General Greg Smith voted in favour of an R18+ for video games after the last SCAG meeting in July, in a report featured on Seven news last night, he claimed that he wants games like Grand Theft Auto IV banned.

Asides from the fact that the report on Seven was a strangely one-sided piece of reporting, the fact that Greg Smith, an Attorney General has clearly had some impact on the updated guidelines, is appealing for games that are currently classified under MA15+ to be banned, despite agreeing to some form of R18+ rating is a little worrying.

We’re currently trying to contact his office for more information on his stance. More news as we get it.

I was at the ALRC focus group discussing the classification review, and Hot Coffee was shown. The general response? Eh, it's a game, and it looks more cheesy than offensive. A feeling shared by a wide demographic, including people aged over 40.

Its not about either. The guy was crazy. The disconnect is how Wallace cherry-picks the murderer's manifesto to support his position when there is so much content in the same manuscript that decries it.

Ok, I'm seriously getting annoyed with that prostitution example that they ALWAYS use! They always talk about how that is the objective for the majority of games, that it is the only thing you do in the game and even still use that whole "you earn points" despite the fact that games haven't been using them since the arcades.

7 should not be allowed to make any article pertaining to the R18+ debate or Video Game Violence. the fact that 95% of the article's they release on the topic borderline on sensationalist fearmongering garbage with little to no actual retort from the gaming industry.

I honestly feel for all the times Seamus had to endure trying to talk reason to these jackasses

Oh why do i stop myself from swearing online... I really want to let fly right now...

There will still BE a RC classification option... even with the R18.

If a game can not fit under the criteria, then make it RC. If it fits R18, then leave it at that.. how can you say the R18 does not go far enough... that is not the end you *Y($#*(YRY$(*W#&@(*YE(#@&E*(#$@)^($^^...

All of a sudden I am a serial killer and a prostitute killer just because i enjoy entertainment with adult themes... just like movies that I have been watching for the last 15-20 years with the same themes.

I hate everyone...

Hang on a second.. this is the reaction they want. This is just like ACA or today tonight 'news' in that its entire purpose is to piss you off and make you yell at the TV... Now I feel stupid.

You know what, if its banned I will buy it from UK or pirate it... then they can do another feature on the loss of Aussie jobs because the gaming retail industry is shrinking!!!!!

So we should now reclassify all existing titles, not just games, once the new classifications come in? Is this what he is saying? I can't see the flash article because I need FlashPlayer 11 and I am at work.

The difference between these muppets and the people who sit on the actual classification board is that they have no idea about the details of the games they are wanting banned. They hear a little gossip about the game, hear it sensationalised in an emotional dialogue that makes the facts of the game seem stronger than it actually is. The experience is subjective, the game is objective.

The classification board members are generally impartial and objective but they are forced to work within a system, a system we know is outdated and lopsided, but they have done a pretty good so far..

We *are* talking about a Today Tonight report here. I mean honestly who the heck believes most of the crap from these "current affair" style reports anymore from commercial channels (well besides stuff from the Project =D). I consider most shows like these as equal to watching 30 mins of US version of Fox News... a great way to reducing your IQ! A majority of crap from "exposes" like these usually involve a lot of editing and selective quoting.

I am seriously hoping our Syd AG can get a proper response out ASAP on that report because honestly.. GTA? geebus that game has been out fer freaking donkeys years already. This is tantamount to thread necromancy on forums.

This guy is a complete joke. When he delayed voting on the R18 issues earlier this year, I shot him a carefully worded, yet angry email. Months later, when he backflipped and signed off on R18, his office had the nerve to reply to my email (4 months later) and basically say "We don't know what you're getting worked up about, AG Smith has backed R18".

I am sick and tired of this guy and all the politicians like him. Doesn't matter who you vote for, Labor or Liberal... they are all the same. Power to the powerful, and to hell with the people. Australia has become a two party Tag-team dictatorship.

I don't know what you're all getting worked up about. This doesn't change anything for the R18+ rating and one man can't ban a game, especially a game like GTA V, the gaming industry won't tolerate it.

Holy hell. Really? When all else fails, just blame GTA. Fuck me, and here I was believing we'd made some progress (no matter how small) in the last ten years. I guess CoD's been the scapegoat of recent times, and with the announcement of GTAV, enter the retards 'OMG WE FORGOT ABOUT THAT EVIL GAME. SURELY IT IS STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CORRUPTION OF OUR YOUTH AND THE DOWNFALL OF SOCIETY AS A WHOLE.'

Quick! To the biased and uninformed news report mobile! We must instill unreasonable panic in the masses! Their livelihoods are at stake!